It was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, , said: “Islam was built upon five (pillars): testifying that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establishing prayers, giving Zakah, performing Hajj and fasting Ramadan.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
It was narrated on the authority of Abu Jamrah Nasr ibn ‘Imraan that he said,
I was an interpreter between the people and Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him. Once Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said that a delegation of the tribe of ‘Abdul Qays came to the Prophet who asked them: ‘Who are the delegates?' (or) 'Who are the people (i.e. you)?’They replied, ‘We are from the tribe of Rabee‘ah.’ Then the Prophet said to them:‘Welcome, O people (or said, “O delegation (of ‘Abdul Qays).”) Neither will you be disgraced nor will you have cause for regret.’
They said, ‘We have come to you from a distant place and there is the tribe of the disbelievers of Mudhar intervening between you and us and we cannot come to you except in a sacred month. So please order us to do something good (religious deeds) and that we may also inform our people whom we have left behind (at home) and that we may enter Paradise (by acting on them.)’
The Prophet ordered them to do four things: He ordered them to believe in Allah The Almighty alone, and said to them: ‘Do you know what is meant by believing in Allah Alone?’They replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ Thereupon, the Prophet said:‘That means to testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, to offer prayers perfectly, to pay Zakah, to observe fasting during the month of Ramadan, (and) to pay Al-Khumus (one fifth of the booty to be given in the cause of Allah).’[…] The Prophet further said:‘Memorize them (these instructions) and convey them to the people whom you have left behind.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Benefits and rulings:
First: Explanation of the foundation of faith and the foundation of Islam.
Faith is the inward acknowledgment, whereas Islam is the outward submission. This is the meaning of faith and Islam when both of them are mentioned in one context. However, if they are mentioned separately, then faith is meant to refer to Islam, and vice versa.
Second: Islam is established by the two testimonies of faith. Prayers, Zakah (obligatory poor-due), fasting and Hajj (pilgrimage) are added to the two testimonies because they are the most obvious and the greatest rituals of Islam. Third: Neglecting these five pillars or some of them indicates the absence of submission and obedience to Allah The Almighty. Fourth: Fasting Ramadan is honorable and elevated in the sight of Allah The Almighty, because Allah made it a pillar of Islam. Fifth: The obligation of learning necessary aspects of religion, such as the duties (to observe them) and forbidden things (to avoid them) and conveying them to people.This is clear when the Prophet, said: “Memorize (these instructions) and convey them to the people whom you have left behind.”